1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to image forming apparatuses, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus having a detachable storage medium device such as an IC card.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a system has been proposed that a storage medium such as an IC card in which a copying mode of a copying apparatus (copying magnification, exposure, the number of copies, copy paper size, etc.) is previously registered as data is connected to the copying apparatus so as to set all of the copying mode of the registered data together in the copying apparatus.
In this system, a dedicated data input device such as an input device for edition has been conventionally employed for registering copying mode data in the IC card.
In case where an operator temporarily uses the copying apparatus which is being occupied by another operator,. it is considered adequate to immediately set a second copying. mode by connecting the IC card to the apparatus, and after the connection is released, return to a first copying mode according to the above described copying system.
In this case, an interruption mode must be set before setting the copying mode registered in the IC card by operating a set key or the like provided in the copying apparatus. The interruption mode serves to save data of a copying mode currently set (hereinafter referred to as "the first copying mode") to set another copying mode (hereinafter referred to as "the second copying mode"), and after the second copying mode is released, restore the first copying mode.
In the meanwhile, there is a demand that the registration of copying mode data into the IC card should be carried out without a special data input device required. The IC card includes a group of four-arithmetical operation keys (.times., .div., +, -, =) to be able to function as a calculator as well.
Furthermore, there is another demand that arithmetical operation of copying magnification or the like should be performed by providing the four-arithmetical operation keys in the copying apparatus. However, taking into consideration that the operation panel of the copying apparatus has no spare area-and that an increase in the number of keys is disadvantageous in cost, such a proposal has been made for the foregoing demands as to provide, for example, the four-arithmetical operation keys as a variable key (which performs different functions from the normal function when operated after the operation of a predetermined function key).
In this case, this variable key requires time to be operated and is less frequently used, so that the operator can not get used to operation of the key and hence becomes liable to cause operation errors and the like.
In the meanwhile, the IC card includes a power source ON/OFF key and indication means, by which a copying mode registered in the card is indicated when the power source is turned on. In addition, while the IC card is normally powered by built-in batteries, it is also powered and even charged by a power source of the copying apparatus when connected to the copying apparatus.
In case of connecting the IC card to the copying apparatus to set the copying mode registered in the card, the copying apparatus is to be in an operating state (in which the power source is ON and a copying operation is available).
To this end, conventionally, the power source of the copying apparatus is turned on in order to put the copying apparatus in a standby state before connected with the IC card.
That is to say, dual operations are required that the turning on of the power source of the copying apparatus and the connection of the IC card, causing a demand that these operations should be performed in a single operation.
As described above, the IC card is to be charged from the power source of the copying apparatus while being connected with the copying apparatus.
Therefore, such a case also occurs that only the charging of the above described IC card is required without the setting of copying mode in the copying apparatus.
In the meanwhile, a copying apparatus is proposed which includes two numeric value indicating means: copy number indicator means for indicating the set number of copies, namely, how many copies of one original is to be made (normally in two digits) and magnification indicator means for indicating a copying magnification set (normally in four digits).
As numeric values to be indicated in the copier, the accumulating total number of copies, for example, is provided other than the number of copies and the copying magnification. This is used for the aim of maintenance period or the basis of a charge (rate) calculation.
However, it is less effective to provide independent indicator means for indicating only the accumulating total number of copies due to limitation in the area of an indicator panel or an increase in cost.
Thus, such a system is proposed, for example, as to locate the above describe two numeric value indicator means in close positions on the panel, constituting a numeric value indicator portion of six digits by employing these means simultaneously in a particular mode so as to indicate the accumulating total number of copies.
However, this system fails to indicate the number of copies or the copying magnification which is to be indicated intrinsically while indicating the accumulating total number of copies.
The indication of the accumulating total number of copies is carried out in general when instructed by input means such as an accumulating total number indication instructing key or the like.
A request has been made that the accumulating total number of image forming processes carried out by employing storage medium means such as the IC card or the like should be informed. Since the IC card is prepared in general for each individual person or for each section in a company, it is necessary to know the frequency of use of a copying apparatus per each individual person or each section and to acquire base data of calculation of charges (rates) for each person or each section according to the accumulating total number of copies processed for each IC card.
Conventionally, the data of the accumulating total number of Copies processed for each IC card is indicated on the indication panel of the above described dedicated data input device by connecting the IC card to the data input device and operating predetermined keying means such as the accumulating total number indication instructing key qr the like. It is a very ineffective method, however, that the IC card is connected to the dedicated data input device in order to merely indicate the above described accumulating total number data.
As described in the foregoing, a special data input device such as an input device for edition has conventionally been employed in registration, on of copying mode data. Further, the registration of copying mode data is carried out while checking data to be inputted on the indication panel of the data input device.
There is another request that registered data of the IC card should easily be checked. This request is made, for example, when the copying mode registered in the IC card is to be checked prior to setting the copying mode in the copying apparatus. That is to say, this checking has been considerably difficult because it has not been achieved until the indication of data was instructed after setting the IC card in the data input device.
There is still another request that the registration of copying mode data into the IC card should be easily carried out without employing the data input device.
Moreover, a card-type calculator or the like for executing a predetermined arithmetic operation based on an instruction externally provided corresponds to the above described storage device such as the IC card.
There is a case where data held by the IC card is to be checked by an indication or the like before the data is loaded into the copying apparatus. Further, there is another case where upon indicating data of the IC card or the card-type calculator (registered data, data indicating the result of arithmetic operation, etc. ), the content of the indication is to be shown to other persons facing to the operator.
In the foregoing description, the transfer of data from the IC card to the copying apparatus and the setting of the copying mode defined by the transferred data are performed by operating an IC card key of the copying apparatus after connecting the IC card and the copying apparatus.
The IC card key is in general an optional operation key provided in the copier, which serves to instruct the data transfer from the IC card and the setting of the copying mode defined by the transferred data.
The setting of a copying mode in the copying apparatus in accordance with the registered data of the IC card is performed by the operation of the IC card key of the copying apparatus, as described above.
Therefore, the IC card key is unrequited for the user who does not utilize the IC card, and is thus optionally provided in general.
It is not during manufacture of the operation panel but usually after shipment from the factory when the key is added optionally. Therefore, an exchange of a sheet (on which the location of switches is printed) is carried out mostly by service men. However, the service men are not used to the sheet exchange and thus are liable to make mistakes.
In addition, if keys which are less frequently used such as the above described IC card key are also provided on the operation panel of the copying apparatus, along with keys which are closely relating to the copying operation and frequently operated for usage of the copying apparatus (e.g., a copying start key, a ten-key for inputting numeric values, etc. ), it becomes difficult to operate or the keys which are to be frequency operated.
There is a demand that data registration should be carried out with respect to the above described IC card (for loading a copying mode into the copying apparatus) without employing a data input device.
In the meanwhile, there is provided a card-type calculator having four-arithmetic operation keys, a numeric value data input key, an indication panel, etc. In this connection, there is a further demand that the IC card should be employed for other applications than the copying mode data registration in consideration for the capacity of and processing capabilities of chips used in the IC card.